Ad Astra consultant ready to close chapter in feud with Kansas Democratic Party

A political consultant whose yearlong feud with the Kansas Democratic Party foams with rancor and finger-pointing is working to settle a lawsuit she filed after being ousted from her executive seat.

Casey Yingling’s firm, Ad Astra Group, orchestrated Democrat James Thompson’s congressional race last year, and fallout over the campaign and a rejected request for $20,000 transfigured into a spike that divided the party. Ad Astra’s boisterous grievings earned disapproval from Democratic leadership, which the group characterizes as an establishment unwilling to share power with millennials.

When Thompson lost to Ron Estes in the 4th District special election, Yingling and associates publicly chided KDP decisions. Chairman John Gibson, in turn, accused Yingling of using her position as party secretary to funnel cash to her client.

After a high-profile vote by state committee members in September to extract Yingling from her post, she filed a lawsuit demanding to be reinstated. Her attorney, Tai Vokins, said his client is willing to compromise to settle the case and allow the party to focus on election season. A motion hearing is scheduled for next week.